1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the use of certain S-(1,2-dialkoxycarbonylethyl) dialkyldithiocarbamates as bacteriostats and germicides and more particularly to their use as active ingredients in detergent compositions used for skin cleansing. The bacteriostatic detergent compositions find advantageous applicability in medicinal and germicidal bar and liquid soaps and shampoos as well as in other cosmetic and toilet preparations including cosmetic cleansing creams, shaving creams, hair treatment preparations and the like.
While numerous substances posses a degree of bacteriostatic effectiveness against specific bacteria or groups thereof, few produce the desired results necessary for a successful soap bacteriostat. In many cases, the bacteriostatic activity of known bactericides is reduced or inactivated in the presence of surface active agents such as soaps or detergents. Furthermore, even if its activity is not reduced in soap, a bactericide may nevertheless be ineffective in inhibiting skin microorganisms for any length of time due to a lack of effective skin substantivity, i.e., the property of remaining on the skin and retaining antibacterial and germicidal activity over a period of time after washing and rinsing of the skin. Besides antibacterial properties, other desirable properties are important for commercial application of a soap bacteriostat. After incorporation of the soap bacteriostat, the detergent composition such as bar, powder, paste, liquid, or aerosol must maintain the desired antimicrobial efficacy as well as retain the following properties: initial whiteness, odor stability color stability under aging and sunlight exposure, and absence of discoloration in the presence of copper.
2. Description of the Prior Art
S-(1,2-dialkoxycarbonylethyl) dialkyldithiocarbamates are known to possess fungicidal and herbicidal properties. See for example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,786,866. British Pat. No. 824,196 discloses certain S-ethoxycarbonyl esters of N,N-dialkyldithiocarbamates which retain their bacteriostatic activity in the presence of soaps and waxes. That patent further states that the retention of such activity appears to be a property highly specific to compounds of the particular structure concerned since modification of the structure generally results in loss thereof. Moreover, the references give no indication that the bactericides possess skin substantivity, an important criteria for use as active ingredients in bacteriostatic toilet and cosmetic formulations.
Therefore, the prior art compounds may be considered as specific and unsuggestive of other compounds of the class possessing properties necessary for an effective skin substantive soap bacteriostat.